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Friday, July 27, 2007

Irish Coffee Ice Cream Cake

I know I've been posting a lot about frozen desserts lately - but well, it's the season for it! Here's yet another one, a delicious dessert that's really easy to prepare in advance. In fact, it's an ice cream cake that doesn't require an ice cream maker - always a plus! Since the ice cream contains alcohol, it won't freeze rock solid so you don't need to pull it out of the freezer long before cutting and serving. It will be just right as it is.

The recipe originally comes from a lovely little book called "Slutet Gott" (translates to something like "good in the end") that's from Sweden's largest food magazine Allt om Mat.

Use irish whiskey if you have it - I used Bushmills, Jameson would be another good choice. If it'd be good in an actual Irish Coffee, it'll be good here!

Grate the almond paste and mix with cocoa and egg whites until smooth. Spread into a greased springform pan (line the bottom first with parchment paper if you're at all nervous about getting the cake out) and bake at 175°C for 12-15 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and let it cool completely on a rack. Wash the pan.

When the cake is cooled, put it back in the now-clean pan. Beat the cream with powdered sugar and instant coffee until it's really thick. Stir in egg yolks and whiskey. Pour this on top of the cake, cover with plastic foil and freeze over night or for at least four hours.

9 comments:

Anne - I make my own almond paste - which I got from the BBC Food site. It is absolutely delicious and I thought I would share it with you. For a variation, try ground pistachios. More expensive, but delicious. - (Anne from Scotland)Ingredients225g/8oz icing sugar225g/8oz caster sugar450g/1lb ground almonds2 eggs, beaten lightly1 lemon, juice only

Method1. Sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add the caster sugar. Toss in the almonds and stir.2. Add the lemon juice. Now stir in the eggs, bit by bit to make a firm, stiff dough. 3. Roll into a ball and knead lightly. Place into a plastic bag until you need it.4. To apply to your cake: Spoon 4 tbsp of sieved apricot jam into a saucepan and add 1 tbsp water.5. Heat until boiling and then brush over the surface of your Christmas cake. 6. Halve the almond paste. Sprinkle over some icing sugar on a board to prevent the paste sticking. Roll out one half to a strip and then fit around the edge of the cake. Making sure it is just above the edge on the top, so it will fit the other piece of paste. Trim the bottom.7. Roll out the other half to fit the top of the cake. Turn your cake, top side down, onto the paste. Turn over and trim to make sure the side strip and the top seal together.

Anne in Scotland - thank you! That does sound lovely! More close to marsipan than the almond paste I buy probably, which is just almonds and sugar. Nothing you'd want to use to cover a cake, but it's great for baking.

What a wonderful-sounding dessert. I am also a fan of recipes that don't need an ice-cream maker, as there is simply no room in my little kitchen for such extravagances ;-) Now that the weather has improved a little in London, frozen desserts are even beginning to sound tempting!